Communication in an Organisation

1. Communication in an Organisation Chp: 3

2. Communication in an Organisation • An organisation is the rational coordination of the activities of a number of people for the achievement of some common, explicit purpose or goal through the division of labour and function through the hierarchy of authority and responsibility.

3. Features of an Organisation • Mutual Coordination: • Common Objectives • Limited Resources 2. Common Objectives: • Formal and clear mission & objective • Hierarchy of the objectives for a better coordination. 3. Division of Labour& Function: (sharing of the task according to the volume of work and number of ppl) • Specialization • Departmentation • Allocation of work according to the skills and speciality 4. Hierarchy of Authority & Responsibility: • Chain of Command

4. A formal organisation is a unit deliberately constructed to seek specific goal. Planned division of responsibility Explicit and well- defined structure Rules and procedures guiding the conduct An informal organisation is a social unit arising spontaneously as a result of shared interests and circumstances. Membership gained Loosely structured Flexible and spontaneous Communication in an Organisation

5. Communication in an Organisation • The need for information • Acquired from outside • Processed internally • Transmitted to outside • System approach • Open system-> interacts with the environment • Open system is a complex system

6. Communication in an Organisation • Inputs/ resources • Human • Financial • Technical • Outputs • Goods &services • Customer satisfaction • Expert workers • Public image

7. Information Needs of Management • Information is thorough for managers before undertaking any task or communicating it. • Analysis paralysis (Too much info) • Mostly decisions are based on incomplete information. • All is not available • Beyond a certain limit, it is waste of time and money.

8. Information needs of employees • Job description • Work • Production schedule • Available resources • Motivation, learning and development • Performance criteria and standard • Targets • Budgets • Rules and regulations

9. Information needs of employees • Job satisfaction • Information relevant to work • Rewards • Social needs • Interpersonal relationship • Job satisfaction • Motivation

10. Difference between managers/employee/ subordinate • Greater access to job related information • Less opportunities for informal and intimate communication • Fewer peers to communicate

11. Output information by organisation • Advertisment and promotion for • Product & services to the customer • Labour requirements candidated • Financial performance & plans investors shareholders • Mission &culture common public • Order, request, instructions suppliers & contractors • Invoice & statements customers • Records of financial transaction auditors; inland revenues

12. Output information by organisation • Letters of use & develpoment of premises • Policies EFU

13. Communication routes

14. Communication routes

15. Communication routes

16. Communication system • Downwards communication • Upward communication • Horizontal communication

17. Downwards communication(Purposes) • Delegation • Induction • Rationale • Appraisal • Indoctrination

18. upwards communication (Purposes) • One's own performance & problems • Other’s performances & problems • Report about a task • Organisation practices & policies commented • Suggestions

19. Horizontal communication (Purposes) • Formal coordination & communication • Informal establishment of relationship

20. Downward commuication • Problems • Lack of interest • contract • Acquisition • profitability • Lack of understanding • Lack of information

21. Downward commuication • Problems • Managers are not skilled, trained and confident : • Fear of undermining their authority • Fear of redundancy • Undermining the role of managers • Risk of organisation’s interest

22. Downward commuication • Improvement measures • Regular system & mechanism: • Briefings • Meetings • Interviews • Manuals & newsletters • Training session • Acceptance and value of communication as organisation culture by : • Setting example by top management • By making it criteria for promotion & selection of managers • Encouraging informal news swapping • Discouraging social status discrimination • Training for better communication

23. Improvement measures • Helping the managers to overcome their fear by: • Appraisals and rewards for communication • Guidelines for communication • Allow to make mistakes

24. Upward communication • Problems • Inferiority complex • Lack of interest • Lack of understanding • Busy superior • Fear of consequences • Sarcasm • Rejection of idea • Disappointment for managers • Stepping out of the group • Manager is not accessible

25. Upward communication • Improvement measures • Conduct regular meetings • Brainstorming sessions • Quality /service sessions • Suggestion schemes with incentives • Open door managers/surgery hours to discuss

26. horizontal communication • Problems • Feeling of encroachment • Resistance to expertise • Conflicts due to culture, working habit, coordination problem and distorted perception.

27. Horizontal Communication • Improvement measures • Inter-departmental meetings • Job rotation • Conflict resolution • Communication officer • Newsletter bulletins

28. Informal communication • Accurate • Official setup • Network(shared interest or exchange informal info) • grapevine

29. Coordination Methods & Organisation Hierarchy • Mutual adjustment • Direct supervision • Standardisation

30. Poor Coordination • Derek Pugh gives the list of poor coordination identification: • Persistent conflicts • Overloading of problems • Fudging of integration issues • Use of red tape to ensure integrity • Empire buildings by coordinators • External conflicts

31. Reasons for lack of coordination • Lack of mutual planning • Difference of time and work pressure • Leadership style • Orgsnisation structure • Dislikes and rivalries • Difference in middle time and techno structure • Difference in skills • Innovative to environmental • Poor communication

32. Purpose of communication in an organisation • Exchanhge of info • Tool for instructions • Persuasion • Reinforcement • Establish relationships • Publicise needs and requirements

33. Internal needs of communication • Establishing mission of organisation • Develop the plans to achieve the mission and objectives • Control the plan • Organizing staff and other resources • Creating desirable environment

34. External needs of communication • Providing information about plan, coordination and activities of the management • Providing information about organisation and its services to the people outside • Encouraging formulation, swapping and testing • Coordination of interdependent subsystems • Fulfilling the needs of employees • Interpersonal relationship • Ensuring effective linkage